Revealed (The Found Book 1)

by Caitlyn O'Leary

  “It was worse before? No wonder you ripped your flesh to the bone. Do you realize what I’m saying? We’re connected. I’ve been in the jungle fighting a warlord and his rebels. The reason you’ve been thinking you were a soldier named Noah, is because you’ve been experiencing flashes of my life.”

  She shook her head, dislodging his hands. “That’s not possible.”

  “Kali, you’re not going crazy. You’re exhibiting the same psychic abilities I am. I think you and I knew one another before we woke up, me on the beach and you in your dad’s patrol car. I think somehow we’re connected on a psychic level.”

  He left off the part where he thought they might be from another world. He watched her assimilate his words, and turn to her dad.

  “What do you make of this story, Dad?”

  “Three things make me think it’s real. Do you remember Owens and al Mussad, they’re partners, and they come over to our house for barbecues all the time.”

  “Sure, I remember them.”

  “They’ve accidentally saved one another three times…each. Neither one of them should be alive, but somehow they just knew things, and were so in tune with one another it’s crazy. They talked about these funny feelings and have gotten one another out alive.”

  “What else?”

  “Two, I called Samson Noah Kukailimoku’s grandfather and according to him, he was found the exact date you were found in my patrol car. I tried to get it verified with the Kauai Police Department, but the best they could do was narrow it down to the week. And three, well, I know you’re not crazy. I understand about mental illness, I know how heartbreaking it is, and if I thought you needed help I’d be the first in line for you to get it, but Kiddo, you’re not sick, so that’s why I believe this.”

  Kelly reached for his hands, and Noah smiled in relief, and took her hands. “What was the name of the person who took care of me?”

  “What?”

  “If we have this connection from before, what was the name of the person who took care of me? Before we came here?”

  Noah grinned. He untangled one of his hands, and reached out to stroke the wheat color hair away from her face, reveling in the fact she was going to be leaving with them. “You called your grandmother Nana.” he whispered quietly. For just a moment he could almost feel the arms of the old woman as she held him close.

  “Noah, it’s real.” He watched a smile bloom across Kali’s beloved face and felt happier than he could ever remember.

  “Yes, baby, it’s real.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. They were together again. It had taken them twenty years to find one another, but they had done it.

  “I was so happy in the meadow with you. No wonder I kept you with me as a friend even when I couldn’t truly remember you.” Kelly caressed the smooth skin of his cheek, basking in his presence. Finally she pulled her hand away, and looked at her father, breaking the intimate moment.

  “Dad, can you go find Dr. Weston? I’m checking myself out. Is Mom here?” Sam was impressed with how fast she could go from fragile to take charge. Apparently nothing kept his Kali down for long.

  “Your mom went to find Dr. Weston while Noah and I came in to talk to you. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was working on getting your discharge paperwork completed. No moss grows under that stone.” Kelly burst into laughter, delighting Noah. “As soon as Sam-Noah explained everything to us, your mom was positive you would be going home.”

  Kelly threw back her covers, and her Dad came over and shouldered Noah out of the way, pulling the covers back over her. “I think it’s time for Noah to leave, and I’ll help you get ready to go.” After getting a look at Kali’s legs, Sam was of two different minds. Part of him really wanted to stay and watch, but he knew right now she still needed time to recover. As he left the room, he couldn’t stop thinking about her smile and those mouth-watering legs.

  Chapter Nine

  Kelly swung her legs over the side of the bed. When she tried to put weight onto her feet, she realized she wasn’t steady enough to stand on her own. Her dad was there in an instant. She both appreciated and resented the consideration. God, she hated how prickly she was. Her dad gave her a look that told her he too could read her mind.

  “Guess I needed to take it slower.”

  “Guess you did. What did you think of Noah?”

  “Yes, what did you think of Noah?” her mother asked as she bustled into the room. “And tell me quick, I told him he could come back in as soon as I had you dressed.”

  “What did Dr. Weston say when you said you wanted to check me out?”

  “She didn’t have any choice. You voluntarily committed yourself, if you sign the papers to leave, you’re free to go. Mike, get out of here we can discuss things after our daughter is dressed.” As soon as the door was closed, Primrose Wachowski hugged her daughter. “Oh my baby girl…” She burst into tears.

  “Mom, it’s okay, I’m fine. I’m coming home.”

  “I’ve been so worried about you. I knew they were going to hurt you, and when that young man told us the pain you were in, I almost died.” She looked up at the beautiful face of her mother, and hugged her close, sorry she’d ever caused her pain.

  “I’m fine now.”

  “No you’re not, you’ve lost even more weight, you’re still not healed, and we still don’t know where those motherfuckers who kidnapped you are.” Kelly stared in shock at her mom, who still said horse pucky.

  “Don’t look surprised Kelly Rose Wachowski, it’s the proper term for those people who tortured you.”

  “Mom, I’m going to be fine, you don’t have…”

  The knock on the door interrupted them. “Hold on,” her mother called out.

  “Let’s get you dressed. I’d say we have two minutes max.” She hurried to the dresser, pulled out underwear, jeans and a sweater. Her eyes welled up when she saw the jeans were at least two inches loose in the waist.

  “Mom, it’s going to be okay.” Kelly hugged her mother with a trembling hand, and realized just how weak she was feeling. Who knew she was going to need time to recover from her recovery?

  A louder knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” her mother called out. Her dad came in first, followed by Noah, they took up all the space in the small hospital room. How had she not noticed it before?

  “How do you intend to make sure our daughter remains safe?” Kelly’s mom asked.

  “Mom, the school year is going to start soon. Now I know there isn’t anything wrong with me I can move back to my condo.” Kelly prayed she was telling the truth. She knew she had always healed fast the few times she got sick. A little rest and few good meals and she’d be fine, right?

  “No way in hell, Kiddo.”

  Oh God, he wasn’t yelling, he was using the smiling voice.

  “You’re coming home with your mother and me. Our house is easier to have watched than your apartment.”

  “I refuse to put you and Mom at risk. Find a way to make my condo easier to watch.” Arguing with her dad felt good, normal, they always enjoyed their fights.

  “There’s the added benefit of a cop living with you, you’ll be protected.”

  “You work, so it’s a moot point.”

  “I’ve decided to take a leave of absence until these assholes are apprehended.” She looked at him, he was serious.

  “Dad, you can’t do that.”

  “I can do whatever the hell I want.”

  “I’m going to live my life the way I want to live it, and it includes moving back into my condo.” There was no way she was going to let her dad put his life on hold for her.

  “Listen here little girl…”

  “I think I might have a solution. I’m going to stay with Kali.” Kelly forced her eyes away from her father to see Noah grinning at her. Oh, she wasn’t going to like this.

  “Well, first you’re going to have to tell me what I’m supposed to call you,” Mike said.

  “When I’m here with
Kali, I’d like to be called Noah. It was my name when I knew her before.” It worked, because Kelly couldn’t see herself calling him any other name. He was her Noah, but still, she wasn’t going to have another alpha male dictate to her, and she was positive it was about to happen.

  “Noah, we don’t want to hear any plan you might have. I really appreciate all you had to tell me…”

  “You’re wrong little girl, I’m very interested in what Noah has to say.”

  “Well I’m not. I’m not having some stranger stay with me!” She looked at him incredulously, he just raised his eyebrow, which raised her ire.

  “Kali, we’re not strangers. You and I have known each other all of our lives, we just didn’t remember until now. I have months of leave saved, and I intend to stay here until all threats to you are gone.”

  Kelly narrowed her eyes as she saw the same look of determination she remembered from another time, another place.

  “This is my problem Lieutenant Kukailimoku. You can go spend your leave elsewhere. My dad is a captain for the Chicago Police Department, he’ll have cops watching me. I’d say my safety is covered.”

  “Kali, I think you’re forgetting the threat is also a threat to me. Didn’t you say they kept asking you where you came from? Well they would want to get their hands on me too. I remember there being a crowd of children, not just the other found children besides you, Alfred and me. That means they would really want to get their hands on me.”

  “Oh my God Noah, I didn’t even think. I’m so sorry, of course this impacts you. You shouldn’t even be seen with me. Nobody knows you’re one of the found. I forgot about Alfred being killed. You’re in danger being seen with me. You have to leave now before they suspect something.”

  “It’s too late now. We’ll have to stick together.”

  She looked at her parents, and then back at Noah, all them were smiling at her. She knew the decision had been made. She didn’t have much to pack, but her dad and Noah made quick work of cleaning out her closet and putting it into her suitcase. She was still having trouble keeping up with how fast her reality had changed. As fantastic as this story was, it made her much happier than the ‘I’m crazy’ reality she’d been living with for the last few weeks.

  When Noah bent to pick up her shoes all thoughts flew out of her head. She had never seen a more enticing ass in her life. She’d already been drooling over his body. She was in heaven. Kelly gave herself a mental shake. She shouldn’t be having these kinds of thoughts about her super-hot imaginary friend, but he wasn’t her imaginary friend, he was the delectable warrior who’d rescued her.

  But no matter what her long denied libido wanted she had to focus on the fact this man was here to help. They had some weird-ass psychic connection, and he thought of her as some long lost childhood friend, nothing more. It didn’t matter he had skin like melted caramel and she wanted to lick it to see how it would taste. Damn it Wachowski, put a cork in it. For all you know he can read your mind! Noah finished zipping the suitcase and picked it up, and gave her a slow smile.

  * * *

  Despite Kelly’s mother completing a lot of the paperwork, there was still quite a lot for Kelly to read and sign. Dr. Weston seemed like a very nice lady, and she prescribed some pain medication for Kelly. She suggested Kelly take something now, but she declined, and that’s when he’d enough.

  He waited until the doctor and her parents were talking, and then pulled her aside. “Kali, take the medicine.”

  “What?” She looked at him with a dazed expression. He touched the spot right above her left eyebrow and started a soft circular motion and watched as she sighed in relief. She closed her eyes, and he wrapped his other hand around the back of her neck, gathering her close, continuing with the gentle massage. “Take the medicine Kali, I can feel your headache, it’s a doozy.” Her eyes shot open.

  “I didn’t think about you being in pain as well. I’m sorry, I’ll take the meds.” She broke away and went and talked to the doctor. Noah smiled, he’d hated seeing her in pain. The echo of her headache wasn’t much more than an annoyance, nothing like the pain that jerked him awake that morning. Apparently taking care of herself wasn’t something she thought was important. It was going to be one of Noah’s missions while in Chicago. He watched as Kali’s mom headed towards him.

  “How did you manage to get her to take something for her headache?” she asked.

  “Ma’am?”

  “Well I know she didn’t decide to do it on her own,” she said as she sat down in the seat Kelly had vacated. “So, tell me how you convinced my stubborn daughter to actually take something for the pain.

  “Mrs. Wachowski…”

  “Call me Rose.”

  “Rose, I might have hinted I was feeling the pain as well,” he admitted sheepishly.

  “And were you?”

  “A little bit, but it wasn’t really painful, more of a dull ache.”

  “Oh, I like you.” Rose patted his arm. “I could tell my girl was still hurting, but I couldn’t get her to take any medication. I knew she didn’t want to feel out of control, but she’s safe right now, and we’re taking her home where she can have a nap. When she gets up she can boss all of us around.”

  Noah chuckled.

  “You know she isn’t going to want to stay with you for much longer.”

  “She and her dad are going to have to fight it out. I think your plan to stay with her is stupendous. Of course, after they are done fighting, you’ll have to pick up the gauntlet. With that in mind you’re going to need to keep up your strength. You’re invited to dinner tonight, we’re having pot roast, mashed potatoes and homemade apple pie.” As far as Noah was concerned everything was right in his world.

  * * *

  Kelly was angry, she didn’t know what was getting to her more, the fact she had been ambushed by three people or everyone monitoring her food intake. She wasn’t hungry. When did it become a punishable offense?

  “If you are worried about where Noah is going to stay while he is in Chicago, let him stay in the spare bedroom here. He’s not staying at my condo. My spare bedroom couldn’t fit him anyway, he’s too big.” Kelly smeared the crumbs of her dessert on her dish so it looked like she had eaten more, and glared at her father who glared back at her.

  “Nonsense,” her mother said. “Your father and I have stayed in your spare bedroom, and he’s as big as Noah.”

  “Mom, you know I meant it metaphorically. Look, it’s a week and a half before the school year starts. Everyone has been really patient with me considering the situation. The principal tore up my letter of resignation, and said I was welcome back whenever I could make it, so I’m going to call her tomorrow. I would have thought the school board wouldn’t be thrilled to have someone with so much notoriety, but they backed me as well. I was really surprised. I do worry about what the parents of my students will say if they find out Noah is living with me. It won’t go over well.”

  “Give me a break. I’m an old-fashioned Catholic, and even I know it’s a load of horse pucky,” Rose huffed.

  Kelly blushed. It had been worth a try.

  “Fine, if not Noah, then I’m arranging for off duty CPD officers to stay with you instead. Take your pick. Those men and women will have to leave their families because you can’t handle having the man who volunteered to do this.”

  Kelly wilted under the guilt her father heaped on her.

  “Fine, Noah can stay with me.” She turned to the man in question, where he was trying to look innocent as he plowed his way through a third helping of pie. “You’re not going to be comfortable. I’m up at all hours. I have a hectic schedule. You’re supposed to be on vacation, and I’m going to be working sixteen hour days for the first three weeks as I figure out lesson plans for two different subjects and set up meetings with each student’s parent or guardian.”

  Noah looked at her. “Is anyone going to be shooting at me?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Good thin
g I’m used to it. At least I don’t have to deal with a jungle.” Noah laughed. “You’re a great cook,” he said to her mother.

  He was right, her mother was a great cook. Kelly wished she could eat like she used to. She wished she could have her old life back, where she didn’t need a guard. She wished she wasn’t worrying her mom and dad. She wished she didn’t have the hots for Noah the way that she did.

  It was going to suck needing a guard for the next few weeks. But the idea being an imposition on the hardworking men and women of the Chicago Police Department went against the grain. Unfortunately she both hated and liked the idea of having Noah on guard duty.

  Chapter Ten

  Staring as he carried the duffel bag into her home, the olive color was at odds with all the jewel tones in her apartment. She resented how comfortable he looked in her condo and she felt out of place. It just wasn’t fair. Maybe it was her headache, after all she had only gotten out of a hospital bed this morning.

  “You must be exhausted.”

  “Stop doing that.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Rummaging around in my head.”

  He gave her a funny look, walked towards her and gave her a hug. She melted. Maybe it was okay if he could read her, if she got hugs. She hugged him back. He maneuvered her to the couch.

  “I’m sorry Kali. I know this is a lot to take in.” He sat beside her, and she rested her head against his chest.

  She experienced a strong sense of déjà vu. She blinked hard, not wanting the waterworks start.

  “Alfred’s dead?”

  “Yeah. They broke into his house, he fought back and ended up falling down the stairs and breaking his neck. At least it’s what they think. His wife was at home, but she wasn’t harmed.”

  “Thank God. I remember him, he had great parents. They were redheads like he was.”

  “Yeah, it’s one of the things similar in all known cases. The found children were all matched up, in a sense, with people who were genetic matches.”